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Police identify and arrest man with a knife during structure fire last week

An incident occurred last week while the Silver City Fire Department was battling a blaze off Hwy 90 S in Silver City. A man with a knife was being asked questions by Silver City Police when he turned around and ran into the hills.

Police identify and arrest man with a knife during structure fire last week

SILVER CITY — An incident occurred last week while the Silver City Fire Department was battling a blaze off Hwy 90 S in Silver City. A man with a knife was being asked questions by Silver City Police when he turned around and ran into the hills.

Silver City Police Chief Ed Reynolds confirmed James Anthony Castillo, 43 of Arenas Valley, was arrested June 22 and was transported to the Grant County Detention Center. He was charged with concealing identity, and resisting, evading or obstruction of an officer. He also had four other warrants.

A police report states that while on scene at a structure fire June 18, detectives were photographing the burning single-wide mobile home when they observed a Hispanic male wearing a blue shirt, blue jeans, and a boonie hat squatting down in the trees west of the fire.

A detective made his way to go and talk to him along with an officer. The suspect identified himself as Jimmy and refused to provide his last name. He stated that he didn’t have to identify himself because he wasn’t doing anything wrong.

During an investigation, it was determined that the individual was a witness to the fire. While continuing to speak with the suspect, officers noticed a bulge under his shirt. After asking him what the bulge was he stated that it was a knife. After being ordered not to touch the knife, Castillo reached into his waistband and pulled the knife out – which was still sheathed. At gun-point, Castillo was ordered to drop the knife and he did throw it to the ground and then told officers, “No, you are not going to detain me,” before running eastbound toward Hwy 90. He was never located.

A detective then spoke to a female at the residence where she told him that he was her brother. A warrant was obtained for Castillo and he was later located and arrested without incident.